Road signal



v April 17, 1928.

2 Sheet July 18, 1925 ATI'ORN EY Mme? Mf/FZQZ ROAD S IGNAL A ril 17, 1926.

I N. E. M HENRY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 41925 Mil 15.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

. im E. MCHENRY, or nanison, la s.

RGAD; SIGNAL.

. Application fl1ed-Julyl8f19 2 5a Serial No. 44,541.

This invention relates to signs, particularly those adapted foruse alonghighways, and has for its object the provision of a novel sign embodying several structural, characteristics and features of advantage whereby to bea distinct improvement overthose of old and well known types. 1

An important object of the invention is to provide a highway or road Sign, designed to correspo'nd't-o the system of routing adopted in nianyStates and bearing indi'cia identifying the sign andthe highway along which it is placed so -thatthere willbe no confusion in themind of the observer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign not only bearing indicia as to direction and; the like but; alsopprefera-bly shaped in conformity with thegeogra-phical outline of the State in which it ;is used, or else provided with, cutout portions orother means indicating the specific State. Y A further object'of the invention is to provide a highway sign which bears indici'a as to direction, distance or :the like, the spe-.

cific construction being preferably such that the indicia will beclearly visible at night on account of reflecting light thrown upon the sign by the headlights ofan approachingvehicle, I

The invention further contemplates the provision of various structural details whereby the different portions of the sign may be detachably connected and whereby the direction indicator may be shifted to meetthe particular conditions which exist,

An additional object is the provision of a sign of this character which is, well adapted to be constructed of metal and which will therefore be not only simple and inexpensive to make but very durablein service.

.With the above andother objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and the arrange.- ment and combination of parts to be heroine after more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying' drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete device looking at the front thereof.

Figurej2 is a rear elevation. I

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. I

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line H of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail in cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

'fied form of sign plate;

holding the F igure 6' is a detail view showinga modification, and w i I I Figure 7' is an elevationshowing a modi- Referring more particularly i to if the drawings I have shown'the device ascoinprising a plate 10 of; metal which :is readily; capable of being formed; as casting, although it is conceivable that it could be constructed asa stamping if such should be found desirable foi-"any-reason. This plate 10 constitutes the signand a preferred feature is the fact I,

that it is intended to have a contouncorresponding; to that of'th'e particular, Statejin which it is: used. I In order that this-plate" will j have theappearaiice of thickness and p yet be light in weight, the edges thereof, indicated at; 11- are prefera'blycomparatively thick andbeveled whereas, the central portion may-be thin. This is readily accomplished by m'aking the'fre'ajr side, ortheifon,

ward ,sid'e, jwhicheverf is preferred, .concave as clearly indicated iii Figure 4. This plate 10 isdesigned to bear any'suitable or desired legends; as to;direction and distance tot-he nearest-orother desired place, indications as to turns or any other warnings, the letters 12o'f the legends being formed open. In additionto possessing or carrying su'cheread ing matter, the signis also intended to have a numeral cut out cor-formed as an opening, 1

which nuineral' is; designated by 13. Inactual-practice, this numeralflis intended to refer tothe particular routewhich the sign is intended to markfiiicorrespondence with directions in guidebooks or the like or indi- V cations given on road'ni'aps'f 1 -Mounted against the rear side of theplate 10 forming the sign'is-a sheet or pane of front and light isat the rear the legends on the sign will be clearly visible as the red or the othercolor will show through the cut out letters and numerals. The means for glass pane or sheet and the protective meta plate in position may consist of a plurality of lugs 15 formed integrally upon the rear side of the plate 10, and to prevent withdrawal of the glass pane and plate from position it is preferable to provide a strip 16 of angular formation held in place upon the sign plate as for instance by means of screws or bolts indicated at 17 Obviously, it is intended that the glass pane and plate he slid longitudinally into place, subsequently to which the strip 16 is applied and secured to effect the desired holding action. Of course, all the lugs 15 are of angular formation so that portions thereof will overlap or overhang the metal plate and prevent it and the glass from displacement. The advantage in having the front or exposed surface of the glass of a prismatic or roughened nature is so that when headlights shine upon the sign at night a certain amount of the light will be reflected by the glass exposed by the cutout letters and numerals so that the legends or other markings will be clearly visible to the motorists or other traveler. I

In case it'is not desired, for an'y'reason, to construct the sign in the shape of a State, I. may resort to the arrangement disclosed in Figure 7 in which it will be observed that the construction is identically the same as above described except that the contour of the State is indicated by slots or openings 10 in the plate 10 the plate itself being of rectangular or any other desired shape. this instance the plate is also represented as having holes 1O therein for the passage of suitable securing members such as nails or the like whereby the sign may be mounted upon any suitable support. i

At the top of the plate 10 it is preferable to provide a boss or upstanding projection 18 upon which is mounted an arrow or other pointer 19 which may obviously be adjusted to point in the desired direction corresponding to any markings which may be provided upon the sign plate. This arrow is represented as held in place by a suitable bolt 20 passing therethrough and into the .boss or projection 18. Instead of this being a bolt it may just as well be a stud carrying a nut 21. Of course after the arrow isonce adjusted to point in a desired-direction it is clamped firmly inplace as it is not intended that it should be subsequently moved.

\Vhile any desired means might be provided for supporting the sign Ihave, in Figure 1,shown it as mounted upon a reduced extension formed on the upper end of a pedestal or post 22 by means of a socket member 23 formed integrally upon the lower edge of the plate 10. v A set screw 24 or the like may be provided for effecting a positive securing and preventing the sign from un- Inv desired movement. Obviously, the post 22 may be of such form as to be embedded within concrete indicated at 25 and in this instance its lower end is preferably provided with a reduced extension 26. In some instances, the post may be mounted by driving it into the ground beside a highway and in this case theiconstruction might be such as that illustrated in Figure 6 wherein I have shown a post 27 simply having its lower end pointed as shown at 28 so as to be driven easily into the ground. Regardless of this detail, however, a convenient construction is that the post or pedestal be made as a casting and that it consists of or be provided with radial or intersecting ribs 29 which will possess the necessary rigiditywhile being light in weight. I

' From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will be apparent that I have thus provided a'novel and attractive signwell adapted for use in marking highways in accordance with a certain predetermined system. A distinct feature of advantage is that owing to the provision of the colored glass exposed at thejcut out legend any matter appearing onthe sign will be clearly visible by daya'nd by night especially owing to the reflective-quality of the glass where exposed which makes it pos-.

sible for it to throw back a portion of the light falling upon the sign from headlights of motor vehicles or the like. It is believed that the construction and advantages'will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further elaboration.

Vhile I'have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangementof parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described the invention, I claim- I I v A sign platecomprising a cast metal body having a flat rear surface formed with longitudinal ribs defining a substantially rectangular area, said ribs having overhanging flanges, said metal body being provided with a plurality of openings of a shape to define indicia, and a reflecting member disposed against the flat rear-side of the body and retained within said fianges,'the front face of the sign being concaved and the front face being further formed with an overhanging flange located above the area provided with openings.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

- NELL E. MCHENRY. 

